Clinical evaluation of ultrasonography for cervical lymph nodes metastasized from nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective To explore the clinical evaluation of ultrasonography for cervical lymph nodes metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods The cervical lymph nodes in 451 patients of incipient and recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma were given detailed examination with ultrasonography and manual palpation respectively before and after radiotherapy. Cervical lymph nodes and the size were registered. Results Of the 392 incipient patients, 14 cases ( 3.6%) were found by ultrasonography that the Clinical Staging had been changed. The false negative rates of double side neck N 0 and single side neck N 0 by manual palpation were 28.2% and 25.5% respectively. Among the 14 patients that recurred in nasopharynx and neck at the same time, the missed detection rate of manual palpation was 21.4%. Among the 32 patients that recurred only in neck, the missed detection rate of manual palpation was 12.5%. Among the 33 patients whose cervical lymph nodes agglomerated, the missed detection rate of manual palpation was 51.5%. There was significant difference in size of lymph nodes measured by manual palpation and by ultrasonography among the 31 patients who were fat or overweight (P 0.01), and the remains at the end of therapy were measured by the two means showing high significantly difference (P 0.001). Conclusion Ultrasonography was more accurate than manual palpation in measuring the lymph nodes of the neck of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, It would be some valuable to clinical staging, guiding treatment and predicting curative effect.